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Herdmark ear tags approved for Canadian pig movement

The herdmark ear tag can be used on all culled sows and boars going to slaughter, regardless of how they get there.

Dec 13, 2017

Source: Manitoba PorkThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed it will allow PigTrace’s five-digit herdmark ear tag to be used on pigs moving from one assembly yard to another assembly before going to slaughter. This is good news for producers shipping culled sows and boars to marketers, because the herdmark ear tag is a popular option.

There has been some confusion on this issue since PigTrace became mandatory on July 1, 2014, under the federal Health of Animals Regulations. Producers originally understood that the herdmark ear tag would be acceptable for all culled sows and boars going to an assembly yard, including those going to a smaller, regional assembly yard then to a larger yard before slaughter. In these cases of “yard-to-yard transfers,” however, the CFIA was beginning to insist that the 15-digit, individual ID ear tag be used, which would require retagging pigs that had the herdmark ear tag. The extra effort and cost would not be welcomed.

This issue is now resolved. The herdmark ear tag can be used on all culled sows and boars going to slaughter, regardless of how they get there. This is also true of the 15-digit, individual ear tag, as was always the case.

Next on the hit list of changes is to urge the CFIA to allow the herdmark slap tattoo to be used on pigs going to slaughter through assembly yards that are not exclusively used to ship pigs direct to slaughter. This is more of an issue in eastern Canada than it is in Manitoba or the west. Currently, the CFIA only allows the herdmark slap tattoo on pigs going from a farm directly to slaughter, or through a single assembly yard that only ships pigs to slaughter.

For further information, contact Jeff Clark, director of PigTrace Canada, at 866-300-1825.